* You or another person is experiencing an episode of asthma for the first time. Asthma can quickly become serious if not treated promptly and properly.
* Your rescue inhaler (usually albuterol) does not work to relieve your symptoms within 20 minutes
* You or the person with asthma cannot talk in complete sentences. Other things to look for: flaring nostrils; the skin between the ribs is sucked in with each breath; the lips or the skin under the nails appear grayish or bluish. These are all signs of extreme oxygen deprivation. Get immediate emergency treatment.